Heather
Wakefield, Unison national secretary for local government, said: "While
the employers bury their heads in the sand, there is a retention and
recruitment crisis in local government which is getting worse. This is having a
detrimental effect on service and staff, who are having to work more unpaid
overtime and cope with growing staff shortages.

"The
employers should be left in no doubt that our industrial action will continue
until they return with a realistic offer."